Alvan David Finn; Former resident, active in town

Alvan David Finn of West Palm Beach, Fla., died Sunday, May 6, 2007. He was 82.

Mr. Finn was a resident of Brookline for 79 years. He was active in Brookline politics and the Brookline school system.

He was an importer from Asia and world traveler starting in the 1950s. At age 47, he returned to school to study Mandarin Chinese at Harvard and international affairs at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, receiving a master of arts degree and MALD in 1975 from Fletcher. Interested in people all over the world, he taught his children through example respect for other cultures.

He was especially proud of his service in World War II. He served on active duty in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Fessenden DE as a lieutenant junior grade.

He was a 32nd degree Mason and Shriner.

He leaves his wife of 48 years, Lois (Feinberg) Finn; his children, Eliot Finn of Brookline, Alice Finn of Lincoln and Ruth Finn Oshin and her husband, Lawrence Oshin, of Weston, Conn.; his siblings, Philip and Carol Finn, of Newton; and grandchildren, Kaylee and Michael Finn-Henry, and Alexa and Matthew Oshin.

He was uncle of Dr. Leonard and Carolyn Finn of Needham and Richard and Debra Finn of Wayland, and the great-uncle of Sarah, Julie, Benjamin and Alyssa Finn.

Services under the direction of Levine Chapels of Brookline, were held Wednesday, May 9, at Temple Israel in Boston.

Burial was in the Chevra Kadusha Cemetery in Woburn.

Remembrances may be made to the Benjamin & Alice Finn Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Brian Lee, Tufts University, Packard Hall, Medford, MA 02155; or a charity of the donor’s choice.